House Speaker John Boehner said he plans to move forward with a lawsuit against President Barack Obama for misusing executive powers.

“The Constitution makes it clear that a president’s job is to faithfully execute the laws. In my view, the president has not faithfully executed the laws,” the Ohio Republican said on Wednesday. “When there are conflicts like this between the legislative branch and the administrative branch, it’s … our responsibility to stand up for this institution.”

House Republicans have argued that Obama is misusing his executive powers by side-stepping Congress on immigration and other policies, including a decision to extend family leave to same-sex couples and bar federal contractors from discriminating against gay employees.

The memo sent to the GOP conference mentioned executive actions on health care, energy, foreign policy and education, but did not delve into specific orders. The speaker’s office has not outlined what specific executive orders or actions the suit will cover, but Boehner said the lawsuit was not about convening impeachment proceedings against Obama.

No action on the lawsuit would occur until after the House returns from its holiday recess that begins Thursday afternoon. In the memo, Boehner said he will bring legislation to the floor in July after it is considered by the Rules Committee.

The lawsuit would be brought through the House General Counsel and the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group — a standing group of party leaders: the speaker, plus the majority and minority leaders and whips from both parties.

It’s possible that if the lawsuit goes forward, it could take longer to work through the court than the roughly two-and-a-half years Obama will remain in office.

Still, Boehner said, the lawsuit is about protecting the Constitution and Congress.

“What we’ve seen clearly over the last five years is an effort to erode the power of the legislative branch,” Boehner said. “On behalf of the institution and the Constitution, standing up and fighting for this is the best long-term interest of the Congress.”

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Wednesday he was not sure if Boehner’s office gave the administration a heads up on the lawsuit.

“In this case it seems that Republicans have shifted their opposition into a higher gear. Frankly, I didn’t know it was a gear that even existed,” Earnest said. “They are considering a taxpayer funded lawsuit against the president of the United States for doing his job… [It’s] the kind of step that I think most Americans wouldn’t support.”

Democrats have widely dismissed the lawsuit as a political stunt. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel said it was a “reprehensible waste of taxpayers’ money and a desperate political stunt.”